Secretary of PA DEP Launches the Pipeline Infrastructure Task Force

On July 22, 2015, John Quigley, secretary of Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection conducted a “kick-off” meeting with the Pipeline Infrastructure Task Force (PITF), newly formed upon the request of Governor Tom Wolf in May. Secretary Quigley engaged with PITF to discuss and debate a means of achieving a “world-class pipeline infrastructure system” through collaboration between various stakeholders.

Natural gas pipeline infrastructure is poised to expand because growth in natural gas demand is far ahead of the capacity of existing infrastructure. PITF has been in charged with developing permitting & construction guidelines and policy tools to mitigate environment and community impacts of new infrastructure development. PITF will be working in close collaboration with different workgroups composed of federal agencies, state partners, local governments, industry representatives, landowners, and environmentalists.

Workgroups are required to provide their recommendations by November 2, 2015, and a public comment period will follow throughout December 2015. A final report will be submitted to Governor Tom Wolf in February 2016.

Further information is available on the DEP official website at: 
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/pipeline_infrastructure_task_force/22066.

Written by Chloe Marie - Research Fellow

07/24/2015